Messages

1

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dealing with rude emails

« on: Mar 04, 2012, 12:30 pm »

Thank you all very much for the helpful responses.  I had already responded to this particular email before I posted it to the forum. I sent a private email to the designer apologizing to them for wasting their time and explaining what happened, then an email to the entire production team apologizing for the report not getting out, and assuring them I won't let it happen again. Thank you Nick and Matt for the advice on cc'ing myself and bcc'ing all others. I think that will correct both problems I had, and prevent future issues of the misuse of "reply to all".

I recently sent out an email asking all members of the production team to refrain from using "reply to all" unless it is necessary, as it is a time waster for those who aren't related to the email, and may come across as unprofessional depending on the contents. (I didn't say in the email, but from my perspective these emails are either trying to make an example of me, or are a result of laziness on the part of the emailer not wanting to compose a new email.)

I'm afraid I'm letting my senioritis get the better of me lately, in the past I've taken the usual "yes sir/ma'am, I apologize and it won't happen again." But I, and other students have been taking hits like this the entire four years I've been here.

I had never considered going to the dean of the college on this, but I think I might, thank you for the suggestion. Especially after I got a message from the head of the department basically telling me it is not my place to question or disagree with my superiors and my only response should be "yes sir/ma'am". So I don't believe I will get any help there, as well as being told "we aren't doing post mortems this year". Which tells me there is no interest in improving and learning, and no forum to bring up such issues.

2

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Dealing with rude emails

« on: Mar 03, 2012, 03:50 pm »

I've been searching around the forums but haven't found anything specifically on this topic.

I need some help on how to deal with rude and inappropriate emails. I am a student stage manager at a University, and right now I'm working on a main stage production. In my department I'm used to getting emails with people complaining to me through email. But this show seems to be worse than usual. I'm getting complaints from faculty design advisors (who I am required to cc on any communication), designers, shop supervisors, and our TD, sometimes they complain about things that have nothing to do with them or their department. And all of them feel it is necessary to cc the entire production team, and sometimes unrelated faculty. From my point of view it feels as if they are trying to call me out, or put me on blast for mistakes I've made or they feel I am responsible for. And some have just been completely inappropriate.  Here's an example of the types of emails I get. I've replaced sensetive information with italicized caps.

-----------------------------------------------
From:   FACULTY COSTUME DESIGNER
To:   STAGE MANAGER
Cc:   ENTIRE PRODUCTION TEAM AND DEPARTMENT HEAD

STAGEMANAGER,
So, I'm here to take photos. All to find out, we're not taking photos tonight. I've received no notification at all. I don't have a rehearsal report from last night. There's no email or phone call letting me know it's been moved to tomorrow. There was no response to my message to you with my photo request saying it was moved. I don't have junk mail on this account, so I don't think it went there.
Do I sound pissed. I am. It would be best if you didn't respond.
-----------------------------------------------

In no way am I trying to say I did nothing wrong. The report did not get sent out, it got stuck in my outbox (server problems) and I was unaware. But I feel emails with this tone, and to everyone, are unnecessary and unprofessional, especially from faculty.  And this is not a rare occurence, nor is it only this person.

My question is how would you deal with something like this?

3

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SHOWS: BIG LOVE

« on: Feb 08, 2012, 05:38 pm »

I'm also managing Big Love at my university right now!

Luckily with Mee's writing, he's not very specific about what exactly you do.  He even says "something like this, but not necessarily" in regards to some of his directions.

I can give you some tips on some ways we are tackling the challenges of the show.  For the cake we're going to have a big fake one brought out on a rolling cart, and just have some pre-cut slices on plates around it, the brides and grooms will be handed pieces they smash into each other's faces.  This means we won't be doing the part mentioned in the script with characters smashing faces into the cake itself.  Saves on making a wedding cake each night.  For the dishes, I'm not sure on the specifics, but our prop master said she's going to make ones out of a type of plaster that will shatter easily, as well as safely.  For the fights and blood, it depends on how willing you are with getting blood on costumes.

4

Tools of the Trade / Useful Literature

« on: Jun 27, 2010, 10:39 pm »

I was wondering if anyone has stumbled on useful books outside of actual stage management handbooks and the such.  The other day I picked up a copy of

How to Win Friends and Influence People and reading it from a stage manager's point of view it's a really useful book.  For example here's the main points from one of the chapters

 Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

• Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
• Call attention to other people's mistakes indirectly.
• Talk about your own mistakes first.
• Ask questions instead of directly giving orders.
• Let the other person save face.
• Praise every improvement.
• Give them a fine reputation to live up to.
• Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct.
• Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest.

And I also think, to a lesser extent, that Sun Tzu's The Art of War would be useful to read.  There are chapters that address planning, problem solving, and having to manage large groups of people.


What are everyone else's opinions about these?  Are there any other books that could be useful?

5

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Labtop vs. Pencil and Script/Notepad

« on: Jun 11, 2010, 09:59 am »

In rehearsals I use a mix of laptop and paper and pencil.  My script is in my book, all the blocking, notes, etc. I keep in there.  I've played with using my laptop for that but it wasn't for me, like many others here I draw diagrams and just feel I can work faster when actually writing the blocking by hand.

But I always have my laptop out and open.  The days rehearsal report is open that way I can quickly make note of things that come up in rehearsals and if for any reason I need to edit any other form I have all of them on there.  Many of you have mentioned the danger of having a crash etc. but I've found a way around that by using a cloud service.  All of my documents are saved on a cloud that I can access from any computer with internet access as well as being saved on the laptop.  This helps cut down on the actual amount of "paper"work that I carry around and have to keep track of.

As for distractions, I can see the temptation, but I've never had a problem with it.  I always keep myself engaged in rehearsals, I am very interested in acting/directing so I always like to see how the actors develop, how the director works with them, etc. 

6

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: How Many times have you stage managed?

« on: Jun 07, 2010, 10:49 pm »

Let's see, been SMing for two years and I've been SM for 1 performance event, 4 one-acts, 2 plays, 2 musicals....I think.  I've never had the pleasure to ASM a production, bit of a shame.